Film: Developing Authenticity

Film is raw. It’s an authentic reflection of whatever you point the camera at. There is no room for immediate altering, editing, or checking to see if you need to take another photo. This is one of the things I love most about film. In a society that thrives off of instant gratification and perceived perfection, film photography defies it all. Group photos become about the memories, rather than sprinting to the camera to see how you look. A candid photo of a hilarious moment becomes an image of joy rather than stressing on how to make your teeth appear whiter. Film is beautiful because it cuts through the artificiality in which we so easily get lost. It shows things as they are, rather than how we are told they are supposed to be.

Film offers a healthy dose of authenticity to a cheat media diet reaming with superficiality. In a nearly entirely digital age, we have become accustomed to immediate results. One of the reasons I value film so much is because it lacks immediacy. Instant gratification is something we are all guilty of indulging in. This can be hindering because when results are immediate, fixation is often on the superficial, rather than the sentimental. This is especially relevant to our everyday lives, as we have become so desensitized to smartphone photos and Instagram uploads, that the value of these images disappears altogether. After a while, everything just begins to cause the same reaction. Doubletap and scroll rather than smile and remember. This is where film photography is refreshing—through film, nothing is instant. You’re forced to wait for the frame to focus, the roll to finish, and even develop, before you can see results. This builds anticipation. Being forced to wait when shooting film creates the same magic that we felt on birthdays and holidays as kids. We waited tirelessly for these special moments. Even at a young age, we were aware of their value, and we couldn’t wait for the joy they brought to us.

Film photography goes far beyond its developed images. It’s the excitement as you wait for the lab to finish processing your film. It’s the look on your friends’ faces when you’re able to show them a beautifully candid moment they may have forgotten. It’s the pride you feel when an image is perfectly exposed. Film is real. I encourage you to go to the nearest thrift store, find a camera—even it’s a disposable one—and experiment with film. This overlooked art has unearthed creative abilities that I didn’t know I had, introduced me to people I otherwise wouldn’t have met, and documented some of the best moments of my life. Film photography is the unadulterated balance of visual and sentimental, and that is not only why I shoot film, but why you should, too.

By Camryn McKay | Photography by Will Cross-Bermingham